Youths in Dinagat Islands join in tour operation, management contest

As part of the festivities during the celebration of the 14th Charter Day of Dinagat Islands, the youth leaders participated in one of a kind tour operation and management contest. “This is the first-ever competition done for the making of tour packages. If we learn to understand

By Venus L. Garcia our special connection with the environment, we will do our best to protect and preserve it especially when we do tourism. The exploitation of the environment happens when we human beings treat ourselves separate from it,” said regional director Mary Jean Camarin of the Department of Tourism (DOT) – Caraga. The competition aims to promote the concept of conservation in Dinagat Islands’ brand of tourism by involving the youth as the future leaders of the province. Dinagat Islands bears the tagline “Biyahe sa Dinagat Islands, Biyahe

sa Kalikasang Buhay” who will fulfill what truly a which seeks to boost tour guide means – one tourism and its abundant who knows the essence natural resources that of conservation tourism, made it known as the creating communities mystical and rising that are conscious of paradise in the Caraga the nature surrounding region. them,” emphasized “Here and now, in Dinagat Islands Gov. the paradise we know as Arlene “Kaka” Bag-ao. the province of Dinagat The solon further Islands, we are giving pushed for measures birth to something that that advocate will breathe new life to conservation. She also our island ecosystem. wants to create a kind Community conservation of tourism that highlights tourism! And this kind of conservation and guides tourism entails not just the communities and having tour guides who visitors. This, she means will tell us where to go. learning while exploring, We will develop tour understanding the nature guides, our own people, while swimming or island

hopping. “I am certain that our partners in the region will also act as our guide as they support us with this endeavor. We have to look at conservation as a form of activism, as a way to fight against capitalist greed that leaves the marginalized hungry and impoverished,” said Gov. Bag-ao. The team Cagdianao was awarded first place for being the Best in Itinerary and Package Development and Best in Tour Package Implementation. Team Loreto as the secondplace winner for Best in Tour Package Promotions and Marketing. Team Tubajon also garnered the third-place award while Dinagat was adjudged as the fourthplace winner. The SK participants also went through several skills development workshops on tourism management, tour packaging, and tour guiding. “We not only limit in training the youths. We want them to become accredited tour guides,” said Camarin. (VLG/PIASurigao del Norte)